Electrical block-signaling system.



A.i. ALLKRD.

ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLIOATIONVI'ILED FEB. 18, 1911.RENEWED ran. a, 1913.

1,060,407. Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

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N [TN 5355 m I JNVEN 0R l Va a My) A ltarneys J. ALLARD,

ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED 2212.18, 1911.nzmnwnn rm. 3, 1913.

Patented Ap1i29, 1913.

n m 'iiiii' 1mm 7 mum millhlllm mlmm 75 Alum-Q 72 [N VEN T 0R TNESSES Atiomeys mum Tm A. J. ALLARD.

ELECTRICAL BLOCK SIGNALING SYSTEM. APPLICATION FILED FEB. 18, 1911.RENEWED FEB. 3, 1913.

1,060,407. I Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

4 SHEETSS HEBT 4.

WITNESSES COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH C0., WASHINGTON. D. c.

rrnn s'ra'rns PATENT. ormon ANDREW J. ALLARD,

OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO T. F.

GREEN AND ONE-THIRD 'IO D. R. CBEECY; JRL, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ELECTRICAL BLOCK-SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Specification of Letters Iatent.

Patented Apr. 29, 1913.

Renewed February 3, 1913. Serial No. 746,039.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, ANDREW J. ALLARD, of Richmond, in the county ofHenrico and State of Virginia, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Electrical Block-Signaling Systems; and I do herebydeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to railway electrical block signaling systems,one object of the invention being to provide a block system ofsemaphores and circuits and devices for controlling their operation,whereby engineers of trains will be advised of the possibil'ty ofrear-end or head-on collisions, giving tothe engineers information as tothe presence in a block, of another train and also the direction inwhich such train may be running.

A further object is to provide simple and eflicient means forcontrolling the various circuits, and forrestoring the controlling meansand the semaphores to normal position when a train passes from one blockto another.

A further object is to so construct an electrical block semaphoresystem, that a train entering a block will set a rear enC signal at theentering end of the block and a head-on signal at the exit end of theblock, and so that, when the train leaves the block and enters the nextblock, the said signal will be restored to normal, the head-on signalbeing displaced by a rear-end signal and a head-on signal beingestablished at the forward end of said next block.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists in certainnovel features of construction and combinations of parts and circuits ashereinafter set forth and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings; Figure 1 is a diagrammatical viewillustrating an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is a plan view of thetrack instrument embodying the circuit shifting devices arranged at theintersection of two blocks and adapted to be operated by the wheels of alocomotive through the medium of a track bar or shoe; Fig. 3 is a viewon the line w-az of Fig. 2 showing the track shoe or bar; Fig. 4 is asection on the line y-y of Fig. 2, Fig. 5 is a section on the line z-zof Fig. 2, Fig. 6 is a face view of one of the semaphores; Fig. 7 is aview showing normal positions of the semaphore block controllingdevices; Fig. 8 is a view on the line 64-64 of F'g. 6; and Figs, 9, 10,11 and 12 are detail views.

1-1represent the rails of a track and the railroad is divided intoblocks as indicated by the line 2 and the arrow heads 3 connectedtherewith.

At the intersection of each two blocks, a semaphore 4c, and circuitshifting or controlling means 5 are located, the latter be ing; operableby the wheels of a train through the medium ofa track bar or shoe 6adjacent to the inner track rail and connected with the mechanism 5.

Each semaphore comprises a standard 7 (preferably tubular) rising fro-ma suitable housing 8 located near the track at the in tersection of twoblocks. Four semaphore or signal blades 9-10 and 1112 are pivotallysupported on the standard 7, the blades 9-10 being located at a higherposition than the blades 11-12. Each blade is provided with a segmenthead 18 having a series of four windows 15-16-1718 and suitable lampsare provided so as to be in line with these windows when the blade andits head are in position to indicate danger. The upper two windows inthe head 13 of each upper blade 910 are constructed to show red andwhite lights while the lower windows in these heads are intended to showtwo white lights. The upper windows in the head of each lower blade 1112are adapted to show green and red lights, while the lower windows ofthese heads are adapted to show white lights. I prefer to employ atleast two electric lamps i, j, for each window of each signal segment,but a pairof such lamps may be spaced between each two parallel segmentsso as to supply light for both. The lamps are arranged in two sets is,m, as indicated in Fig. 12, the lamps of each being included in serieswith each other and the lamps of the two sets being arranged in parallelcircuits. An electro-magnet n is included in series with the lamps ofthe setln and a switch 0 is included in series with the lamps in theother set m. This parallel circuit of the set is maintained normallyopen by the action of'the magnet n. 'VVith' this construction andarrangement of signal lights, if the lamps of the set 75 should becomeext-inguished, the magnet 91 would permit the closing of the switch 0and the consequent lighting of the lamps of the set m. The blades are somounted on the standard that they will project therefrom in a directionat right angles to the line of the railroad,

and the engineers of trains will obey the semaphore or signal bladeswhich project in a right-hand direction. The upper blades and lights areintended to be headon signals, and the lower blades and lights are usedas reanendl signals. The upper blade 9 is painted red and white on oneface, and white on the other face. One face of the. blade 10 is paintedred and white and the opposite face of this blade 10 is painted white.Similarly, each lower blade is painted green and red on one face andwhite on the other face. Thus an upper blade projecting horizontally ina right hand direction when viewed from an approaching train, will givea red and white or head-on signal and indicate to the engineer thatanother train occupies the block and is traveling toward his train, or,in other words, running in the opposite direction. A lower signal bladeprojecting horizontally in a right hand direction will display a greenand red or rear-end signal and indicate to the engineer of a followingtrain the presence of a train in the block run ning in the samedirection. One blade of each pair is intended to warn trains running inone direction, and the other blade of each pair is intended to warntrains running in the reverse direction,the engineers of trains takingcognizance only of signal blades projecting horizontally in a righthanddirection.

Within the housing 8 at the base of the semaphore standard, a pluralityof sets of electrically controlled devices (one set for each signalblade) are located and connected with the signal blades. A detaildescription of one set of these devices will suflice for all.

An arm or frame 19 (preferably triangular in form and comprising twomembers 21-22 spaced apart but rigidly secured with relation to eachother) is secured to a suit able support 23. The arm or frame 23 isprovided with guides at 24 for the accommodation of a vertically movablebar 25, to the upper end of which, the lower end of a cable 26 issecured, the said cable extending upwardly through the tubular standard7 and passing over a segment on the head of one of the semaphore blades,and secured to said segment. The weight of a semaphore blade willoverbalance that of bar 25 so that when the latter is not locked, thesemaphore blade can drop by gravity to normal position as indicated bydotted lines in Fig. 6, and raise the bar 25. The bar 25 is providedwith recesses 27 for the reception of locking dogs 28 which are mountedin the frame 19 to move longitudinally into and out of said notches inthe bar 25. These dogs are con nected at one end by a pin 28 whichpasses through an elongated slot 29 located at the juncture of two arms303l of a lever 32.

The free end of the arm 30 of this lever .is'

the pulley 36, and a flexible device 38 (pref-' erably a chain or cable)is secured to and partially surrounds the pulley 37said flexible device38 depending from the pulley and having its lower end secured to thecore 39 of a solenoid 40.

V7 hen the signal blade is displayed to indicate a dangersignal,-viz.when said blade is in a horizontal position,the clevicesabove described will be in the positions shown in Fig. 6, with the dogs28 in the notches or recesses 27 of bar 25 thus locking said bar andalso looking the semaphore blade in danger position. Should the solenoid34 be now energized, the core 33 would be moved downwardly,causing thelever 32 to be moved on its pivotal connection with the bar 25 and thelocking dogs 28 to be withdrawn. The bar 25 will now have been unlockedand the semaphore blade will drop by gravity, causing the bar 25 torise;

when the parts will assume their normal po-' sitions (as indicated inFig. 7 with the semaphore blade at safety. Should the solenoid 40 be nowenergized, the core 39 will be drawn down and motion will be impartedthrough flexible device 38, pulleys 37-36 and flexible device 35, toraise the arm 31 of lever 32. The lever 32 thus will be caused to turnon the pin 28 and-depress the bar 25 and the semaphore blade to beraised. A continued movement of the lever 32 will cause the dogs 28 toengage the recesses of the bar 25' and lock the latter and thereforelock the signal blade in danger position.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings, I have illus trated diagrammatically, thesolenoids of four devices such as above described at respective ends ofa block and I have desig nated these solenoids with the letters a, b, 0,(Z, 6, f, g, h. The solenoids Z) and (Z are for raising the semaphoreblades 912 and the solenoids at a and c are for releasing these blades.The solenoids e and g are for raising the semaphore blades 11 and 10respectively, and the solenoids f and h are for releasing these blades.

The circuits of the various solenoids are controlled by the mechanicallyoperated circuit shifting or controlling mechanisms 5 located at theintersection of the blocks of railway. The construction of thismechanism is shown in Figs. 2 to 6 of the drawing and will now bedescribed in detail. I

At the intersection of each two blocks of railway, a drum 41 ofinsulating material is located at right angles to one of the trackrails. This drum or cylinder is mounted to turn on a shaft 42 havingbearings near its ends in standards 43. The shaft 42 is provided at oneend with a crank arm 44 which is pivotally connected with a pin 45 on anelongated bar or shoe 6 disposed alongside the head of the inner trackrail 1. The bar or shoe 6 is beveled at its ends and is supported bymeans of a series of pivoted links 46 so that said bar or shoe can havean up and down movement in the arc of a circle and thus transmit motion,through the crank arm 44 to the shaft 42. The track bar or shoe 6 ismaintained normally in its upper position with its upper edge slightlyabove the tread of the rail and returned to such position by the actionof springs 47. These springs are attached, respectively, to the ends ofthe bar or shoe and connected adjustably to lugs 48 fixed to trackrail 1. The drum or cylinder 41 is provided with a fixed head 49 havingslots or recesses in which coiled springs 50 are housed. The shaft 42passes freely through the head 49 and to said shaft adjacent to theouter face of the fixed head, a disk 51 is secured so as to move withsaid shaft. The disk 51 covers the springs 50 and the slots containingthem, and is provided with a fixed pin 52 which projects into the head49 and is disposed between the opposing ends of the two springs 50-50.Thus it will be seen that when the shaft 42 is turned, motion will beimparted, through the disk 51, pin 52 and one or the other of thesprings 50, to turn the head 49 also, but as the head will be locked inthe position to which it may be thus moved (by means presentlyexplained), the spring 50 will act to return the disk 51 to its normalposition after the wheels of the train shall have passed the track baror shoe 6.

A frame 53 extends over the head 50 and pivotally mounted in said frame,are two curved latch arms 54 which partially embrace the head 50 andconstructed near their free ends with lugs 55 to engage shoulders 56 onthe periphery of the head 49. The latch arms are also provided neartheir free ends with shoulders 57 to be engaged by cams or projections58 on the periphery of disk 51 for moving said latch arms out ofengagement with the head 49 to release the latter. The frame 53 alsosupports two solenoids 59, the movable cores of which are connected withthe latch arms 54 for moving the latter to release the head 49 and thedrum or cylinder 41 to which it is fixed, as hereinafter explained.

The insulated drum or cylinder 41 has secured thereto a plurality ofcontact plates, 6061-62 and 63-64, the latter two plates being locatedon the diametrically opposite face of the drum from the plates 606162and out of line therewith as illustrated in Fig. 1.

At respective sides of the drum 41 of each mechanism 5, a plurality ofpairs of contact fingers are located, to cooperate with the contactplates on said drums, as follows: Contact fingers 65-66 and 67-68 areadapted to coiiperate with the contact plate 60; contact fingers 69-7Oand 71-72 are arranged to be engaged by the contact plate 61; contactfingers 7 3-74 and 7 576 are in position to be engaged by the contactplate 64; contact fingers 77-78 and 79-80 are adapted to coiiperate withthe contact plate 63, and contact fingers 81-82 and 83 84 are inposition to be engaged by the contact plate 62.

Line wires 8586 from any suitable source of electrical energy, extendalong the line of railway, and at each block terminus, a conductor 87 isconnected at one end with line wire 85 and at the other end with contactfinger 60. The contact fingers 70, 74, 77 and 81 are also electricallyconnected with the conductof 87. The contact finger 65 is connected, bya conductor 88 with solenoid f in the semaphore at the other end of theblock to the left and the other perminal of the solenoid is connectedwith a conductor 89, the latter being connected with the line wire 86.The contact finger 67 is connected, by a conductor 90, with one terminalof solenoid c in the semaphore at the other end of the block to theright. The contact finger 68 is connected by means of a conductor 91with the line wire 86. The contact fingers 72, 76, 79 and 83 are alsoconnected with the line wire 86 through conductor 91. The contact finger7 3 is connected by a conductor 92, with one terminal of solenoid b inthe semaphore at the other end of the block to the left, and the otherterminal of this solenoid is connected with the conductor 89. Thecontact finger is connected by a conductor 93, with one terminal ofsolenoid g in the semaphore at the other end of the block to the right,and the other terminal of this solenoid is connected with a conductor94, which, in turn, is connected with the line wire 85. The contactfinger 78 is connected, by a conductor 95, with one terminal of theright-hand release solenoid 59 at the opposite end of the block to theright and the other terminal of this solenoid is connected with contactfinger 84 the conductors 89 and 97 and therefore in parallel with thesolenoid 71.. The contact finger 71 is connected, by a conductor 99,with one terminal of semaphore solenoid a and the other terminal of thissolenoid being connected with the conductor 94. The solenoid d is in acircuit 100 between the conductors 94 and 99.

It will be observed by reference to Fig.1 of the drawing that thesolenoids a and (Z are arranged in parallel between the conductors 94and 99 and that the solenoids e and it are in parallel circuits betweenthe conductors 89 and 97, so that when solenoid d is energized todisplay a rearend signal 12, the solenoid a will be energized to releasea head-on signal 9, and so that when the solenoid e is energized todisplay a rear-end signal 11, the solenoid h will be energized torelease a head-on signal 10.

In Fig. l of the drawings, one complete block and the terminalconductors of two other blocks are shown. Fbr convenience in describingthe operation of the system, ref erence will be made to the completeblock shown in the drawing,one end of this block being designated A andthe other end B. Let it be assumed that a train has entered the blockand is running west or from left to right, and that the wheels of thetrain have depressed the track bar or shoe 6 at A, so as to turn thedrum 41 of controller 5 to the rightsaid drum becoming locked in theposition to which it has thus been moved, by means of the deviceshereinbefore described. The drum 41 having been turned as justdescribed, the following operations will result: A circuit will beestablished at A from line wire 85, by conductor 87 to contact fingerthen through contact plate 61 to finger 69; then by conductor 97 toconductor 98; through solenoid e to conductor 89, and then, by saidconductor 89 to the line wire 86. The solenoid 6 will thus be energizedto cause the raising of a rear-end semaphore blade 11 at A and therebyprotect the train which has entered the block AB from a follow ingtrain, and indicating to the engineer of a following train that anothertrain occupics the block and is running in the same, direction. Thesolenoid it, being in parallel with the solenoid 6 between theconductors 89 and 97, will also be energized, with the result ofreleasing a head-on signal blade 10 at A, said head-on signal havingbeen set when the train entered the block at the left of A. The shiftingof the controller 5 by a train entering the block from the A end thereofwill also establish a circuit for displaying a head-on signal 10 at theB end of the block,said circuit being traced as follows: from line wire85, by conductor 94 (at the B-end of the block) to and through solenoidg, at B to conductor 93; by said conductor 93 to the contact finger atA; then through contact plate 64 to finger 76, and then by conductor 91to line wire 86. The train in block AB is now protected from a trainrunning in the opposite direction, and the engineer of the lastmentioned train will be notified that a train occupies the block andthat such train is running toward him.

When the train (running from left to right) passes the B-end of theblock, the controller 5 there located will be shifted as the wheels ofthe train pass over the track shoe or bar 6, and a rear-end signal 11will be displayed at B and a head-on signal 10 will be displayed at theend of the block beyond B to the right, by reason of the establishing ofcircuits as have already.

been traced. When the controller 5 at B has been shifted as justmentioned, a circuit will be established through solenoid f at A forreleasing the rear-end signal 11 at A. This circuit may be traced asfollows: from line wire 85, by conductor 87 at B to contact finger 66 ofcontroller 5 at B; then through contact plate 60 to finger 65; then byconductor 88 to the A-end of the block; then through coil of solenoid fat A to conductor 89, and by the latter to the line wire 86. Thesolenoid f at A being now energized, will operate to release therear-end semaphore blade 11 at A.

WVhen the controller 5 at B has been actuated by the passage of a trainmoving from left to right as above described, a circuit will beestablished which will energize the left-hand solenoid 59 at A, forreleasing the drum 41 of controller 5 at A and permitting the same toassume its normal position. This circuit will be traced as follows: fromline wire 85, by conductor 87 (at A) to contact finger 81 (at A), thenthrough contact plate 62 to contact finger 82; then through the coil ofthe left-hand release solenoid 59 at A) then by conductor 96 to theB-end of the block and to contact finger of controller 5 at B; thenthrough contact plate 63 to cont-act finger 79 and then, by conductor 91to the line wire 86. When the left-hand solenoid 59 at A is energized bythe establishment of the circuit above traced, the latch 54 which itcontrols will be withdrawn to release the drum 41 of controller 5 andpermit it to assume its normal position with all the circuits which itcon trols, open.

It will be understood that when a train is running in a directionreverse to thathereinbefore described, or in other words, is runningfrom right, to left as viewed on Fig. 1 of the drawing, the semaphoreblades 9-12 will be raised and released by the establishing of circuitsby the controllers 5 (which would then be turned in the oppo sitedirection to that above described), through the solenoids a, b, c, and(Z, and the release of the drums 41 of the controllers would be effectedby the energizing of the right hand solenoids 59.

It will be observed that each semaphore comprises four signal blades;-two rearend signals and two head-on signals, thus providing a rear-endand a headon signal for trains running in one direction and similarsignals for trains running in the opposite direction, and the blades areso arranged that the signals to be obeyed by the engineer of anapproaching train always projects in a right hand direction as viewed bysuch engineer. It has been hereinbefore explained how, when a trainenters one end of a block, a head-on signal will be displayed at theother end of the block. This signal will be in approaches the exit endof the block, but it will be projecting in a left hand direction asviewed by the engineer of this train and hence he will know that it isthe signal which his train caused to be set when he entered the block,and therefore he will ignore it. As this train passes to the next block,this head-on signal will be released and a rear-end signal displayed, ashas been explained.

In order to permit one train to pass another, sidings may be located atsuitable places, and when a train takes a siding, the drum of thecircuit shifting mechanism will be released and permitted to return tonormal. This may be accomplished,by closing the circuit of one of thereleasing solenoids by means of a suitably located manually operatedcircuit closer 101 which may be included for example, in a circuit102103 across the line conductor 85 and the conductor 95 as shown inFig. 1.

Having fully described my invention what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters-Patent, is

1. An electrical block signaling system, comprising two head-on signalsand two rear-end signals at the junctions of blocks of railway,electro-magnetically operated signal raising devices andelectro-magnetically operated signal releasing devices connected witheach of said signals, switch devices at each block junction, meansoperable by the rolling equipment for shifting said position when thetrain switch devices, two sets of electric circuits controlled by theswitch devices and including the raising and releasing means, each ofone set of circuits including a headon" signal raising device at oneblock junction and a rear-end signal raising device at the next blockjunction, and each of the other set of circuits including a head-onsignal releasing device at one block junction and a rear-end signalreleasing device atthe next block junction, whereby rolling equipmentrunning in either direction will operate to shift the switch devicessuccessively at block junctions and cause the setting of a head-onsignal and a rearend signal at respective ends of a block into which therolling stock enters and simultaneously releasing said signals when therolling equipment enters another block.

2. An electrical block signaling system, comprising two head-on signalsand two rear-end signals at the junctions of blocks of railway,electro-magnetically operated signal raising devices andelectro-magnetically operated signal releasing devices connected witheach of said signals, switch devices at each block junction, each switchdevice comprising a drum having contacts and contact fingers tocooperate with the drum contacts, means operable by the rollingequipment for shifting said drums, means for locking each drum inshifted position, means for automatically releasing each drum, means forreturning each drum to its normal position, two sets of electriccircuits controlled by the switch devices and including the raising andreleasing means, each of one set of circuits including a headon signalraising device at one block junction and a rear-end signal raisingdevice at the next block junction, and each of the other set of circuitsincluding a headon signal releasing device at one block junction and arear-end signal releasing device at the next block junction.

3. An electrical block signaling system, comprising two head-on signalsand two rear-end signals at the junctions of blocks of railway,electro-magnetically operated signal raising devices andelectromagnetically operated signal releasing devices connected witheach of said signals, switch devices at each block junction, said switchdevices each comprising a drum hav ing contacts and contact fingers tocooperate with the drum contacts, means operable by the rollingequipment for shifting said drums, means for locking each drum inshifted position, electro-magnetically operated means for unlocking thelocking means, means for returning each drum to normal position,electric circuits including certain of the switch fingers of each switchdevice and also including the electro-magnetically operated unlockingmeans for controlling the latter, two sets of electric circuitscontrolled by the switch devices and including the raising and releasingmeans, each of one set of circuits including a head-on signal raisingdevice at one block junction and a rear-end signal raising device at thenext block junction and each of the other set of said circuits includinga head-on signal releasing device at one block junction and a Intestimony whereof, I have signed this specification in the .presence oftWo subscrlblng Witnesses.

ANDREW J. ALLARD. \Vitnesses WM. P. REDD, PERCY SMITH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0.

